The House Environmental Committee expects that the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, Nicos Kougialis, will continue to brief them on his discussions with the communities of the Akama region before the Cabinet takes its final decisions on the fate of Akamas.
The Minister briefed Committee members on Friday during an extraordinary meeting on the amendments put forward by a ministerial committee relating to the Akamas Management Plan and promised to engage in a public debate and in discussions with the environmental organisations and the local communities to explain the government`s plans before the ministerial committee takes its proposal to the Cabinet for final decisions.
Chairman of the House Committee, Adamos Adamou, said he was satisfied with the Minister`s decision to discuss the issue with the Akamas communities and the environmental organisations and explain the changes proposed.
At the same time, the Federation of Ecological and Environmental Organisations, Ecological Movement Cyprus, Initiative for the Preservation of Natural Coastal Areas, Birdlife Cyprus, Friends of Akamas and Friends of the Earth Cyprus staged a demonstration outside the House of Representatives, in reaction to government decisions that “will lead to the shrinkage and further fragmentation of the protected area and allow construction developments within the Natura 2000 area”.
The mobilization sent a clear message to the Council of Ministers to pay attention to citizens and the society and rejected the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers responsible for managing the Akamas Peninsula, a press release said.
On the 19th of November the Committee of Ministers recommended the exclusion of private properties from the proposed “National Forest Park”, the alteration of the existing town planning zones through a new urban plan and the re-evaluation of previous decisions taken by the Council of Ministers since 2005, the statement added.
It said “this proposal will lead to the construction of big developments within the protected area that will benefit only the businessmen with clean interests and plans for the region”. The organisations demand that the entire Akamas peninsula (including private properties and the local communities) be proclaimed a Biosphere Park as it is defined by UNESCO, that includes provisions on environmental protection, natural resource management, socio-economic welfare of local villages and communities and sustainable ecotourist activities.
Moreover, the Management Plan for the Natura 2000 Akamas Peninsula should be enforced immediately “and the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee, which are directed against the public interest and the people`s, will should be rejected”.
More than 7600 people have signed the online protest petition against the decisions of the Ministerial Committee and supported the call for a comprehensive, long term and effective protection, conservation and management of the Akamas, according to the press release.
Minister Kougialis explained that the 25 year old Akamas debate has been troubling governments and the people alike, noting the ministerial decision includes the creation of a National Forest Park within the area covered by the NATURA 2000 network and the state land. The state park, he said, will include 75% of the network.
He pledged that the government`s priority is to protect the environment and sustainable development and to promote the beauty of the area, allowing communities that have been neglected in the region to flourish.
He also said that under no circumstances will this lead to the shrinkage and further fragmentation of the protected area and allow construction developments within the Natura 2000 area.
The House Environmental Committee chairman voiced his concern over the fate of Akamas. “I am afraid, I do not want Akamas to be destroyed, it is a unique habitat both on a national and European level”.